Laundry handling apparatus



March 29, 1966 R. B. PRESHER LAUNDRY HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23,1964 INVENTOR RALPH B. PRESHER A TORNEYS United States Patent 3,243,050LAUNDRY HANDLING APPARATUS Ralph B. Presher, Lafayette, Calif., assignorto Ambassador Business Corporation, doing business as Ambassador LaundryCompany, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 23,1964, Ser. No. 413,190 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-131) This invention relates toapparatus for facilitating the handling of laundry in a highlyexpeditious manner.

In the operation of a commercial laundry, it is frequently necessary forworkers to move articles of laundry from one place to another. Forexample, a worker may be required to remove articles of laundry, pieceby piece, from a bin, or the like and place them into a machine such asan ironer. It is desirable that such a handling procedure be asefiicient and rapid as possible in order to provide a high throughput oflaundry.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide laundryhandling apparatus for facilitating the movement of laundry from oneplace to another with a maximum of efiiciency.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus forenabling workers to handle laundry with a minimum expenditure of timeand effort in the feeding of laundry into a machine, or the like.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of laundryhandling apparatus wherein the top of a pile of laundry in a bin or thelike is maintained at a constant level during depletion of the pile byworkers removing laundry therefrom piece by piece, thus enabling theworkers to unload the laundry with a maximum of efficiency.

It is a further object of the invention to provide laundry handlingapparatus of the class described which includes a plurality of binscircumferentially arrayed upon a rotary frame such that laundry may beloaded into the bins at one station adjacent the frame and rotated to asecond station for unloading from the bins, the level of the top of thelaundry in the respective bins being at all times the same.

, The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, someof which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It isto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be .adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a *cross sectional view through a rotary mounting of thesupport frame of the apparatus, illustrating particularly stop means forstopping the frame at predetermined rotary positions.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawing, the laundry handling apparatus of thepresent invention will be seen to include a support frame 11 journalledfor rotation about a vertical axis upon a base 12. A plurality of bins13 are carried by the frame at circumferentially spaced positionsthereof. Such bins preferably open outwardly from the frame such thatlaundry may be readily stacked or piled in the bins and be readilyremoved therefrom. The laundry may thus be loaded into the bins from onestation adjacent the apparatus and, upon rotation of the frame, beunloaded from the bins at another station displaced, for example, aboutthe rotary axis of the frame from the first station. It will be thusappreciated that laundry may be loaded into the bins and unloadedtherefrom in a substantially continuous manner, empty bins beingdelivered to the loading station and loaded bins being delivered to theunloading station upon rotation of the frame.

In the unloading of the laundry piece by piece from the bins for feedinginto an ironer, or for other purposes, maximum efficiency is attainedwhen the repetitive unloading operation is each time accomplished underidentical conditions. The operation then becomes second nature to theworkers and is conducted in a substantially automatic fashion. In thisregard, it is extremely important that the level of the top piece oflaundry piled in the bins 13 is constant. Otherwise, workers in removingthe top piece of laundry from a bin must continuously compensate fordifferences in level as the pile is depleted. The initial levels oflaundry in bins delivered to the unloading station may also vary due toinconsistencies in the loading thereof. When the level is always thesame, the unloading workers become accustomed to the level andautomatically grasp the top piece of laundry without consideration andin the same manner each time. Accordingly, as an extremely importantfeature of the present invention, the bins 13 are carried upon the frame11 in such a manner that the elevation or level of the bins variesinversely with the amount or height of laundry piled therein to therebymaintain the level of the top of the pile constant. In this regard, thebins 13 are preferably individually suspended from the frame by means oftension springs 14. The bins thus assume varied levels in inverserelation to the amount of laundry contained therein. When a bin is fullyloaded, the springs yield to an extent determined by the weight of theload and the bins is depressed to a low level such as indicated in thephantom line position of FIGURE 1. As the laundry is unloaded from thebin piece by piece, the springs gradually urge the bin upwardly tothereby maintain the top of the pile at a constant level.

Considering now the laundry handling apparatus in greater detail as tothe preferred structure thereof, it is to be noted that the frame 11advantageously includes a central vertical shaft 16 from whichperipheral frame members 17 radially project at 90 intervals. Eachperipheral frame member includes a horizontal portion 18 radiallysecured to the shaft 16 adjacent its lower end. The horizontal portionterminates outwardly in a perpendicular vertical side portion 19 whichat its upper end extends into an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion20 in turn secured to the shaft adjacent its upper end. Aligned pairs offrame members 17 may be respectively provided as integral diametricframe members if desired. Vertical struts 21 are secured betweenintermediate points of the horizontal and inclined portions 18 and 20 ofthe respective frame members 17, and a plurality of horizontal struts 22are secured at vertically spaced positions between the vertical strutsassociated with circumferentially adjacent frame members. In additionhorizontal struts 23 are radially secured between the vertical sideportions 19 and vertical struts 21 in upwardly spaced relation to thehorizontal portions 18 of the frame members.

To facilitate rotary mounting of the support frame 11 upon the base 12,the lower end of shaft 16 is preferably secured to a depending cup 24having an outwardly flared annular flange 26 provided with a dependingperipheral rim 27. The base 12 is provided with an upright shaft 28having a support disc 29 coaxially secured in spaced relation to thefree end thereof as shown in FIGURE 5. The free end. of the shaft 23 isreceived in the cup 24 Which rests upon the support disc 29. Thus, thecup, and support frame mounted thereon, are rotatable upon the shaft ofthe base.

Considering now the bins 13 carried upon the frame 11, it is to be notedthat in the instant embodiment four bins are provided respectivelybetween circumferentially adjacent frame members 17. Each bin includes abase 31 having an outer arcuate edge extending substantially 90, equallength radial side edges 32, and an inner straight edge 33 extendingbetween the side edges. Each bin further includes marginal walls 34 and36 extending upwardly from the radial side edges 32 and straight edge 33of the base 31. The bins are thus open at their fronts and tops, andmoreover are of a configuration to fit into the spaces of the supportframe respectively outlined by circumferentially adjacent peripheralframe members 17 and the associated struts 21, 22, 23.

With regard to the spring mounting of the bins 113 on the support frame11, it is to be noted that pluralities of the springs 14 are preferablysecured at their upper ends to the struts 23 of the frame and at theirlower ends to the bins at positions along the radial side edges 32 ofthe bin bases 31, as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The bins are thusresiliently suspended from the support frame. In order to limit movementof the bins to the vertical direction, vertical guide rods 37 aresecured centrally between lowermost vertically spaced pairs of thehorizontal struts 22, as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. Guide sleeves 38secured to the exteriors of the walls 36 of the bins 13 are slidablydisposed upon the guide rods 37. Additional vertical guidance isfacilitated by vertical guide rods 39 respectively secured to the struts23 and horizontal portions 18 of the frame members 17 with the lower endportions of the guide rods depending from the latter and provided withstop heads 41 at their free ends. Apertured cars 42 projecting from theradial edges of the bases of the bins are slidable upon the dependinglower end portions of the guide rods 39. Thus, three point verticalguidance of each bin 13 is provided in the resilient suspension thereof.When the bins are loaded with laundry, they are urged downwardly againstthe loading of the springs 14, the bins being stopped by the heads 41 ofthe guide rods 39 when loaded to capacity. The level of the bins thusdepends upon the amount of laundry or height of the pile loaded therein,the higher the pile, the lower the level of the bin. As a result, thelevels of the tops of the piles of laundry in the respective bins areall at the same level regardless of differences in the heights of thepiles, and such constant level is maintained during unloading, the binsrising as the piles are depleted.

It is desirable that the support frame 11 be stopped at predeterminedangular positions of its rotation in order that the bins 13 be readilypositioned adjacent, for example, loading and unloading Stations.Accordingly,

stop means are preferably provided to this end to stop the frame atangular intervals, in the illustrated embodiment intervals of Moreparticularly, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 rollers 43 are preferablymounted upon the shaft 28 at diametrically opposed positions and loaded,as by means of springs 44 in the radially outward direction intoresilient engagement with the inner peripheral wall of rim 27.

The rim is provided with pairs of spaced fillets 46 at 90 intervals,each pair of fillets defining a groove 47 therebetween engageable by therollers 43. Consequently, as the frame is rotated, the rollers roll uponthe rim 26, and at 90 intervals encounter the fillets. The rollers arethen depressed slightly against the loading of the springs 44 in passingover a fillet and upon reaching a groove 47 are urged outwardly intoengagement therewith to thus stop the frame.

What is claimed is:

1. Laundry handling apparatus comprising a support frame, means mountingsaid frame for rotation about a vertical axis, a plurality of binsadapted to hold laundry, and. means mounting said bins upon said frameat circumferentially spaced positions thereof for restored verticalmovement to levels in inverse relation to the height of piles of laundryin said bins.

2. Laundry handling apparatus according to claim 1, further defined bysaid bin mounting means comprising spring means secured to said frameand said bins for resiliently urging said bins upwardly.

3. Laundry handling apparatus according to claim 1, further defined bystop means for stopping rotation of said frame at predetermined angularpositions of its rotation.

4. Laundry handling apparatus comprising a base, a support frame mountedupon said base for rotation about a vertical axis, said frame havingopenings therein at circumferentially spaced intervals, a plurality oflaundry bins respectively disposed in said openings of said frame, andtension spring means suspending said bins from said frame.

5. Laundry handling apparatus according to claim 4, further defined byguide means carried by said frame and associated with said bins torestrict movement thereof to the vertical direction.

6. Laundry handling apparatus comprising a veitical shaft, a pluralityof peripheral frame members projecting radially from said shaft at 90intervals, each of said frame members including a horizontal portionradially secured to said shaft adjacent its lower end and terminatingoutwardly in a vertical side portion extending at its upper end into anupwardly and inwardly inclined portion secured to said shaft adjacentits upper end, vertical struts secured between intermediate points ofsaid horizontal and inclined portions of said frame members, a firstplurality of horizontal struts secured at vertically spaced positionsbetween adjacent ones of said vertical struts, a second plurality ofhorizontal struts radially secured between said vertical struts and saidvertical side portions of said frame members in upwardly spaced relationto the horizontal portions thereof, a base, means mounting said shaftupon said base for rotation about a vertical axis, a plurality of bins,said. bins each including a base having an outer arcuate edge extendingsubstantially 90 and equal length radial side edges interconnected by astraight inner edge, said bins each including marginal walls extendingupwardly from said radial side edges and inner edge of said base of thebin, said bins respectively disposed between circumferentially adjacentones of said frame members, pluralities of tension springs secured atone end to said second horizontal struts and at their other end to saidbins at positions along the radial side edges of the bases thereof,first guide rods secured vertically to said first horizontal struts,guide sleeves secured to said bins and slidably disposed on said guiderods, second guide rods vertically secured to said second horizontalstruts and horizontal portions of said frame members and depending fromthe latter, and apertured ears projecting from said bins adjacent theradial side edges of the bases thereof and slidably engaging thedepending portions of said second guide rods.

7. Laundry handling apparatus according to claim 6, further defined bysaid means mounting said shaft upon said base comprising a cup dependingfrom said shaft and having an outwardly flared annular flange with aperipheral rim depending therefrom, a second shaft projecting upwardlyfrom said base, a support disc coaxially secured in spaced relation tothe free end of said second shaft, said free end of said second shaftreceived in said cup, at least one roller mounted on said second shaftand spring loaded radially outward into engagement with said rim,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 889,896 6/ 1908Brainerd 27644 953,205 3/1909 Hughes 108105 2,816,808 12/1957 Haines3127l CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. J. F. FOSS, AssistantExaminer.

1. LAUNDRY HANDLING APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUPPORT FRAME, MEANS MOUNTINGSAID FRAME FOR ROTATION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A PLURALITY OF BINSADAPTED TO HOLD LAUNDRY, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID BINS UPON SAID FRAME ATCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POSITIONS THEREOF FOR RESTORED VERTICALMOVEMENT TO LEVELS IN INVERSE RALTION TO THE HEIGHT OF PILES OF LAUNDRYIN SAID BINS.